Kerala: Sex workers 'Festival With No Pleasure'.

[Guest guest]

Kerala: Sex workers & tribals bond in rights fight

3-March-2003

Thiruvananthapuram: They had initially called their national conference the

" Festival of Pleasure " . But turbulent developments in Kerala, hosting the

three-day meet, have compelled sex workers from across the country to rename

it as 'Festival With No Pleasure'.

The developments in Kerala that caused a rethink among the organisers are

related to the clashes between law enforcement agencies and adivasis at the

Muthanga wildlife sanctuary.

" We are in no way insular to the problems of other sections of society. In

fact, we and the tribals share the same kind of oppression from the state

and large segments of society, " said Nalini Jalila, an activist of the Sex

Workers' Forum of Kerala, the prime organiser of the conference.

The clashes at Muthanga last week had led to many casualties and tribal

activists have been complaining that the reign of terror unleashed by the

police in the tribal villages of the Wayanad hill district of north Kerala

is still continuing.

Many of the activists who work to better the lot of sex workers in Kerala

find common cause with those working among tribals. The solidarity expressed

at the conference is the result of this cooperation on the field.

Nalini said both tribals and sex workers are considered outcasts. " We are

both fighting for our basic human rights. So we dedicate this conference to

the landless tribals who have been agitating for their constitutional

rights. "

The conference attended by 300-odd delegates is basically aimed at

sensitising sex workers and the public on the rights and liberties of a sex

worker. The conference will also highlight the need and the methods to

prevent the spread of AIDS.

The largest contingent has come from Calcutta. The 46-member delegation,

including social activists and sex workers, have come under the auspices of

the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, a Calcutta-based NGO working for the

uplift of sex workers.

Komal Gandhar, the cultural wing of the committee presented a dance drama

titled, 'I am that Woman depicting the sad state of exploitation faced by

women in society'.

Swapna Gayen, president of the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, which has

60,000 members in Bengal, said the national meet helped inculcate confidence

in the group, which has always been treated as outcast.

The festival was inaugurated by the lighting of lamps by sex workers and

human rights activists. Seminars on topics like 'Problems of Different

Equalities', 'Violence, Sex Work and the Law', and 'AIDS and AID' are to be

held as part of the conference. A few foreign delegates have also come for

the conference.

Jo Doezema of the International HIV/Aids Alliance, UK, said the plight of

sex workers in third world countries is not worse than that of sex workers

in developed countries.

" Sex workers all over the world have common problems. You would be surprised

to know that in France, police would detain you if you simply 'dress-up'

like a sex worker! " she said. " I find that sex workers in India have an

incredible degree of unity and this is absolutely necessary to fight for the

basic rights of this oppressed section of society. "

" You need us for sex, you need us to prevent AIDS, you need us to kick and

condemn- what fun! " exclaimed Neena, a delegate from Mumbai. " Here, I feel a

sense of security and belonging amidst other sex workers, " she said.

" We are not destroyers of families. On the contrary, families stay together

because of us, " said Rama Debnath, a delegate from Calcutta.